2 October 2019
The Association for International Broadcasting has made a submission to the Australian Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications Inquiry into Press Freedom.
This Inquiry, running in parallel with the Australian Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security inquiry into the impact of the exercise of law enforcement and intelligence powers on the freedom of the press, is gathering submissions from key stakeholders in the media industry and others with an interest in the highly topical issue of media freedom in Australia.
“We have been pleased to be able to submit evidence to this important inquiry in Australia,” commented Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “The AIB was appalled by the raids undertaken by the Australian Federal Police on the ABC and on the home of a News Corp journalist earlier this year. The raids marked a low point in media freedom in Australia and had a chilling effect on the robust journalism of which Australians have been rightly proud. We are looking forward to helping the Senate Committee and the Parliamentary Committee in their work on this vitally important area in which Australia should be leading the Indo-Pacific region.”
The two submissions have been prepared in conjunction with London-based Doughty Street Chambers, a set of internationally-renowned barristers with a reputation for excellence, specialising in areas of law across multiple jurisdictions, often in cases which have a strong emphasis on human rights and civil liberties. Barristers Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Jennifer Robinson are acting for the AIB.
Lead barrister Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC said: “The heavy-handed way in which the Australian authorities targeted major media companies is almost unprecedented in a major democracy. The evidence that we’ve made on behalf of the AIB to the Australian Senate provides global perspective on the issue of Australia’s media freedom. The submission includes recommendations on best practice drawn from our extensive experience of media law in other jurisdictions that could be usefully applied in the Australian context, protecting journalism and journalists, as well as state security. We urge the Senate to make use of the AIB submission as it works to safeguard freedom of the media.”
The AIB has also made a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security inquiry which can be read here: http://cfb.d5c.myftpupload.com/Media-Freedom/AIB-submission-PJCIS-260719.pdf.
On 7 November, the AIB will hold its second media freedom conference in London at Doughty Street Chambers with the support of Al Jazeera Media Network. This one-day event will bring together AIB Members and the wider media industry to hear evidence from broadcasters on how their operations are being impacted by restrictions on media freedom, and will explore ways to expand the AIB’s international work programme on media freedom. To register for this event, go to: https://forms.gle/wY26Kv37zLc4rfX9A.
30 September 2019
Sudan‘s newly appointed Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, has told a meeting at the United Nations that international broadcasters are welcome back in the country to help build a democratic and free society.
At a UK-organised ministerial meeting on media freedom held at the UN headquarters in New York on 25 September, Hamdok said that he “grew up in Sudan in the 60s and 70s, where the BBC radio was probably the only source of international information for people. And the paradox, years after that, [is that the] BBC was prohibited from broadcasting from Sudan and people were not having access to it.”
He confirmed that the BBC was now allowed back onto FM in the country after an absence of a number of years. He also said that Monte Carlo Doualiya has been restored and that Al Jazeera which had also been banned was now back in the country. Not only were the broadcasters back on the air, but the country’s government is “very determined to create an environment that is open and allow journalists unfettered access to information but also to reporting, anywhere.
“This is actually not giving them any kind of privilege. It is good for our people. Free society, free people can only be productive, can be useful in their own lives but also for society. So I’m doing it precisely because of that.”
“The announcement by Sudan’s Prime Minister confirming the opening up of the country’s airwaves is highly positive,” said AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick. “It is good that AIB Members including the BBC, Al Jazeera and Monte Carlo Doualiya are now permitted to broadcast across the nation. The additional commitment to allowing journalists to report from the entire country is an immense step forward for the country and we look forward to supporting the Sudanese government and the international media community to develop Sudan’s media industry.”
The UN meeting, chaired by the UK’s special envoy on media freedom, Amal Clooney, also heard from Lord Ahmad, Foreign Office Minister, and Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, all of whom spoke about the increasing need for media freedom globally and the Media Freedom Coalition to which 32 governments have agreed to join.
18 September 2019
Productions across TV, radio and online from 20 countries have made the final cut
The shortlist for the AIBs 2019 – the 15th annual competition for the world’s best factual productions – has been published by the Association for International Broadcasting.
Work from over 50 companies has been selected to go through to the final judging by the international jury, with an immensely wide range of subjects covered. With 19 categories covering sport, daily journalism, human interest and much more, the AIBs are one of the most comprehensive international awards for factual producers.
“We have had the largest field of entries in the 15-year history of the AIBs,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “Over 400 hours of work was submitted to this year’s competition, from production companies and broadcasters on every continent. The standard of work was extremely high and selecting the entries to go through to the final judging was a very real challenge. With reports and investigations covering child abuse, war crimes and natural disasters through to lighter subjects such as microscopic art, the subject range is immense.”
The shortlist of over 100 entries is now in front of the international jury of 59 programme makers, broadcast executives and other experts who will evaluate all the work. The winners in the 19 categories will be announced at the AIBs gala dinner in London on 6 November, attended by guests from all over the world. Bloomberg Television and Radio anchor Nerja Ćehić will host the awards, and Rana Rahimpour of BBC Persian will present the “in conversation” segment.
“The AIBs competition does not discriminate,” continues Spanswick, “between productions from large-scale broadcast networks or small-scale production companies, nor between productions in English or in any other language. It’s a level playing field and over the past decade and a half, prizes have been won by individual producers as well as by the broadcasting giants. That’s what makes this contest so appealing, and has gained its global reputation.”
Full details of the AIBs are at the special awards website: http://theaibs.tv. Highlights of the 2018 awards are online at: https://vimeo.com/304404353.
5 August 2019
The AIB has published its latest briefing reporting on selected stories from the global media industry. From media freedom to new appointments, new programming to public service licence fee changes, the regular briefing is received by more than 27,000 people in the media industry globally.
To subscribe, fill out this form and join your industry peers in keeping up to date with news from around the world.
30 July 2019
The Association for International Broadcasting has responded to the Australian parliamentary enquiry into law enforcement & intelligence powers on media freedom. Working with Doughty Street Chambers, the AIB has highlighted issues surrounding Australia’s legislation and the way it has been framed to potentially prevent or restrict journalists from covering stories of significant public interest. Following the raids on the ABC and on journalists working for NewsCorp publications and associated international outcry, the Australian Parliament has convened this inquiry. Submissions will be accepted up until 6 August 2019.
“The raids on the ABC and on journalists in Australia marked a low point in media freedom in Australia,” comments Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive. “We are glad that this inquiry has been established. It is time for legislators in Australia to recognise that restrictions on journalists working in the country must not be continued or increased. Australia has a vital role to place in the Indo-Pacific region in promoting rule of law and media freedom.”
Read the submission here.
3 July 2019
The UK/Canada hosted Global Conference on Media Freedom will open in London on 10 July, with over 70 international government delegations, intergovernmental organisations, broadcasters and NGOs taking part. The focus of the Conference is spreading understanding of the need for media freedom, and gaining global consensus on how media freedom can be achieved, leading to greater prosperity, transparency and democracy.
The AIB will be at the event, along with a range of our Members from around the world. You can demonstrate your support for media freedom – tweet about it, share on social platforms, and talk about it to friends, family and colleagues.
And do contact us for more information on the work that the AIB is doing in this vitally important area.
